READ: Proverbs 27:17-24
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?” – Proverbs 27:23-24
In order to be a good pastor and to generate growth, there must be a serious campaign to know the state of the flock. Information, data and facts will become important if you undertake a state of the flock campaign. You will only harm yourself if you tell yourself lies. If you tell yourself that you have a thousand members when in reality you have three hundred members, you only deceive yourself. You may impress people but you will not impress God.
It is important to know the true state of the flock of God. What is the spiritual condition of the people? How many young Christians do I have? How many youth are present? What do I need to teach the people? How many people actually attend the services? How many people pay tithes? How many people are married? How long have people been married? Do we have old marriages or just new ones? Are weddings common? Are funerals common? How many children are there in the church?
How many doctors do you have? How many lawyers do you have? Where are the businessmen? Are there any other professionals in the church? What is the financial situation of the sheep? Where do people live? Do you know their houses? How many poor people are there?
There are a group of pastors who only love to work with the anointing and the Holy Spirit. They despise the use of data and accurate information. Such people have actually rejected the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of knowledge. God is not against knowledge, understanding and wisdom. God created knowledge, wisdom and understanding! To reject wisdom is to embrace foolishness in ministry. I recently analysed churches that were founded about eighty years ago. I realised that churches which took information and data seriously lasted longer and had many more fruits to show.